Darb-e Imam

---

title: "Darb-e Imam" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["15th-century-mosques-in-iran", "buildings-and-structures-completed-in-1453", "mausoleums,-shrines-and-tombs-on-the-iran-national-heritage-list", "imamzadehs-in-iran", "mausoleums-in-isfahan", "mosque-buildings-with-domes-in-iran", "mosques-completed-in-the-1450s", "mosques-in-isfahan", "qajar-mosques", "safavid-mosques-in-iran", "shia-mosques-in-iran", "timurid-mosques", "twelver-shia-mosques", "twelver-shia-shrines"] description: "Historic funerary complex in Isfahan, Iran" topic_path: "geography/iran" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darb-e_Imam" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Historic funerary complex in Isfahan, Iran ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox religious building"]

Field	Value
building_name	Darb-e Imam
native_name	امامزاده درب امام
native_name_lang	fa
religious_affiliation	Shia (Twelver)
image	Darb-e Imam northern gate (Qara Qoyunlu period).jpg
image_upright	1.2
caption	The mosque's northern iwan, built by the Qara Qoyunlu in 1453. The smaller greenish dome is a later Safavid addition
map_type	Iran
map_size	250
map_relief	1
map_caption	Location of the complex in Iran
location	Dardasht, Esfahan, Isfahan Province
country	Iran
coordinates
status	Imamzadeh, mosque and cemetery
functional_status	Active
architecture_type
architecture_style
general_contractor	Jalal al-Din Safarshah
year_completed
dome_quantity	Two
shrine_quantity	Two:
materials	Bricks; stone; clay
module	{{Infobox historic site
embed	yes
designation1	INHL
designation1_offname	Emamzadeh Darb-e Emam
designation1_type	Built
designation1_date	13 December 1934
designation1_number	217
designation1_free1name	Conservation organization
designation1_free1value	Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization of Iran
::

| building_name = Darb-e Imam | native_name = امامزاده درب امام | native_name_lang = fa | religious_affiliation = Shia (Twelver) | image = Darb-e Imam northern gate (Qara Qoyunlu period).jpg | image_upright = 1.2 | caption = The mosque's northern iwan, built by the Qara Qoyunlu in 1453. The smaller greenish dome is a later Safavid addition | map_type = Iran | map_size = 250 | map_relief = 1 | map_caption = Location of the complex in Iran | location = Dardasht, Esfahan, Isfahan Province | country = Iran | coordinates = | rite = | consecration_year = | status = Imamzadeh, mosque and cemetery | functional_status = Active | heritage_designation = | leadership = | website = | architect = | architecture_type = | architecture_style = | general_contractor = Jalal al-Din Safarshah | facade_direction = | groundbreaking = | year_completed = | construction_cost = | specifications = | capacity = | length = | width = | width_nave = | height_max = | dome_quantity = Two | dome_height_outer = | dome_height_inner = | dome_dia_outer = | dome_dia_inner = | minaret_quantity = | minaret_height = | spire_quantity = | spire_height = | shrine_quantity = Two: | materials = Bricks; stone; clay | nrhp = | added = | refnum = | designated = | module = {{Infobox historic site | embed = yes | designation1 = INHL | designation1_offname = Emamzadeh Darb-e Emam | designation1_type = Built | designation1_date = 13 December 1934 | designation1_number = 217 | designation1_free1name = Conservation organization | designation1_free1value = Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization of Iran | footnotes =

The Darb-e Imam (; ) is a Twelver Shi'ite Imamzadeh complex located in the Dardasht quarter of Esfahan, in the province of Isfahan, Iran. The complex comprises two shrines, a mosque, a mausoleum, and a royal cemetery.

The complex was added to the Iran National Heritage List on 13 December 1934, administered by the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization of Iran.

History

The first building in the complex was built during the rule of the Qara Qoyunlu in 1453 CE, as an Imamzadeh shrine dedicated to two saints, "Ibrahim al-Batha" and "Zayn al-Abidin" who were believed to have been descendants of Ali ibn Abi Talib through Ja'far al-Sadiq. The construction of the Imamzadeh was ordered by the son of Jahan Shah, the ruler of Qara Qoyunlu at the time. After the Imamzadeh's construction was completed, many princes belonging to the Safavid dynasty were buried next to the place, along with princes of Mongol descent. A khanqah was also added to the complex during the reign of Aq Qoyunlu ruler, Ya'qub Beg. Later during the Safavid period, some repairs were made to the shrines. Extensive renovations were completed on the complex during 1995 and 1996.

Architecture

Main article: Peter Lu#Girih tiles and quasicrystals in medieval Islamic architecture

There are girih tiles present in the mausoleum as well as other geometric patterns in the tilework and strongly resemble Penrose tilings, as discovered by Peter Lu.

Burials

The site is believed to be the burial place of the saints Ibrahim al-Batha and Zayn al-Abidin, two descendants of Ja'far al-Sadiq. Local tradition relates that twelve other descendants of Ali ibn Abi Talib are buried in the complex but the locations of their graves are not known. Historically, the site includes the mausoleum of the wife of Qara Yusuf, who is also Jahan Shah's mother. A prince of Mongol descent, Mahmoud al-Afghani, is also buried in the funerary complex alongside other princes.

Gallery

File:امامزاده_درب_امام1.jpg|Wide view of the court Darb-i Imam shrine spandrel.JPG|Example of the girih tiles, found in a corner of the building. ورودی امامزاده درب امام - اصفهان.jpg|Entrance to the complex, in 2023

References

References

1. link. ()
2. "Details".
3. link. ()
4. link. ()
5. link. ()
6. (2007). "Decagonal and Quasi-crystalline Tilings in Medieval Islamic Architecture". Science.

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